Line composing and type casting machine



June 26, 1934. 5, sp Y 1,964,695

LINE COMPOSING AND TYPE CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE TO 4%:(9 8 e37 W W 7) 2 ATTORNEY June 26, 1934. s. E. SPERRY LINE COIPOSING AND TYPE CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11. 1931 3 SheetsSheet 2 ATTORN EY June 26, 1934. s. E. SPERRY LINE COHPOSING AND TYPE CASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR W ATTORNEY Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES LINE COMPOSING AND TYPE CASTING MACHINE Samuel E. Sperry, Hollis, N. Y., assignor to Intertype Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 11, 1931, Serial No. 562,390

43 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in line composing and type casting machines of the general class disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532, granted September 16, 1890 to O.

Mergenthaler, wherein lines of matrices are assembled under control of a keyboard and presented to the mold of a casting mechanism wherein a type bar or slug is cast against the matrix line. In the operation of such machines, the matrix lines are usually composed of character-bearing matrices and expansible spacebands which are of some predetermined length for the production of type bars or slugs for use in columns of a given Width, the matrix lines being filled out to the full predetermined length and justified by expansion of the spacebands prior to the casting operation, but it frequently happens that a line at the end of a paragraph or lines used in composing tabulated matter, listings, or the like will fall short of filling out the column width, thus requiring a matrix line which falls short of the predetermined length. It also becomes desirable in some instances, as for book page or column headings or the like, to set the type characters centrally of the body of printed matter, thus requiring a matrix line the character-bearing matrices of which are set inwardly from or indented at both ends of the line.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to fill out the remainder of a line falling short of the necessary or predetermined length or to fill out both ends of a line in which the characters are to appear centrally thereof with blank matrices or quads prior to the presentation of such line to the slug casting mold in order to complete the closure of the mold and enable the slug to be cast. Such filling out of the lines has been done usually by setting the blank matrices or quads in the line .by hand or by striking a special key on the keyboard if the space in a line requiring filling out was small. I

Attempts have been made to overcome the necessityof hand filling out or spacing of short lines, which is objectionable since it is not only a slow and laborious procedure but is too costly, especially in modern printing plants having a large production, but none of the attempts heretofore made have proven sufiiciently practical to supplant hand spacing which is still done in nearly all print shops where machines of this class are in use. Among the reasons for the impracticability of previously proposed devices for filling out short lines automatically on the machine is the necessity of always using expansible spacebands to expand the lines between the usual clamping jaws so that the space between these jaws will be completely and tightly filled out and no metal injected into the mold cavity will escape between the matrices in the line which closes the front thereof. Another reason for the impracticability of such 3 devices as have been heretofore proposed is the complication of parts they would requ re adding to the machine and the unreliability of action of such parts as well as their inaccuracy under all conditions of operation and the frequent attention they would require for their maintenance.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome the above noted ceficiencies and to provide positive and reliable means for automatically filling out matrix lines short of the desired or predetermined column width even though such lines contain one word or several words and whether or not the usual expansible spacebands are used, and further, to provide means for automatically filling out both ends of a matrix line so that the type characters appear centrally of its length, this latter result being also accomplished in a very practical manner without requiring the use of spacebands.

The quadding out of a matrix line at one end or at both ends as accomplished by the present invention without requiring the use of spacebands is a distinct advantage in that it saves much time in the production of type bars or slugs. Other advantages of the present invention which contribute to the practicability of the invention will become apparent from the following specification. While the preferred manner of carrying out the invention is shown and herein described, it will be understood that the construction and arrangement of parts and their mode of operation may be varied to suit different conditions and that the invention comprehends all such variations within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a line composing and type casting machine of the well-known class referred to, embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of the matrix supporting rails of the assembling elevator, modified to carry out the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the vise jaw closing means, as viewed from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the vise jaw closing means;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly broken. away and on an enlarged scale, of the vise jaws and the mechanism for clamping and locking the right hand jaw;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the clamping and locking pawls for the right hand jaw;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the matrix line clamping vise and the upper portion of the first elevator as viewed from the right hand side, the vise embodying the closing and locking means for carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section through the matrix supporting jaws of the first elevator, modified to carry out the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the retaining or locking means for the right hand vise jaw;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the vise cap and jaws and a portion of the head of the first elevator, showing the matrix line centering means provided by the present invention:

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a transverse vertical section through the vise cap and the left hand vise jaw, taken .on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view, showing the manner of centering a matrix line between the vise jaws and in front of the mold cavity; and

Fig. 15 is a detail view of the right hand vise jaw, showing adjusting means for the matrix line centering means.

Similar parts are represented by the same reference characters in the different figures.

The invention is shown applied to a line composing and type casting machine of the general class disclosed in the Mergenthaler patent hereinbefore referred to, 1 representing the socalled assembling elevator which, when lowered, receives the character-bearing matrices delivered in the usual manner from a magazine by manipulation of the usual keyboard and usually spacebands from the spaceband box S, and 2 and 3 represent respectively the long and short fingers of a so-called delivery slide 11 which operates in the usual way to transfer the matrix line to the so-called first elevator 12 which latter then operates to lower the matrix line into position between the right and left hand jaws 14 and 15 of a vise which clamp the matrix line endwise in front of a mold 107 carried by the usual mold wheel 108 and into the slug casting slot or cavity 106 of which molten metal is injected in the usual way to cast a type bar or slug against the rear or character-bearing side of the matrix line. In the usual operation of a machine of this class, the assembling elevator 1, after it has received a completely composed matrix line, is raised so that the matrix line is received between the depending fingers 2 and 3 of the delivery slide, and the delivery slide, which is normally retained in its right hand position as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, by a detent 42 against which the right hand or short finger 3 abuts, is tripped by engagement of a part of the assembling elevator therewith when the assembling elevator reaches its highest point, the delivery slide 11, when thus released, travelling toward the left and conveying the matrix line into the first elevator 12 which at that time has its line receiving'jaws at the horizontal level of the raised line, which is immediately below the delivery slide channel 13.

-Heretofore it has been customary to set the hne delivery finger 2 manually to the measure or length of the desired line in order that this finger may retain the last left hand matrix in the line upright as the assembling elevator is moved upward with the composed line, but it is desirable to relieve the operator of as much work as possible in preparing the matrix line for presentation to the mold, and the present invention therefore enables the usual operation of manually positioning the line delivery finger 2 to be dispensed with. Means for avoiding the necessity of setting the line delivery finger 2 at a predetermined distance from the line finger 3 is shown in my prior U. 8. Patent No. 1,124,180, granted January 5, 1915, such means comprising a yielding rail 4 which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is pivoted at one end on a pin 5 in the front wall or jaw of the assembling elevator 1, this rail being forced inwardly into the matrix channel of the assembling elevator at the other end by a spring 6, the inward swing of the rail or bar 4 being limited by a pin 7 engaging in a slot '7 in the rail. In using such a rail, it will be seen that the last left hand matrix in the line will receive the greatest'pressure from the rail and will therefore be held upright as the assembling elevator is raised and the last left hand matrix in the line passes upwardly beyond the usual banking finger or stop 8 on the assembler slide 9 which, as usual, travels toward the left as the matrix line is being composed in the assembling elevator. However, it sometimes happens that, in using old or worn matrices, the pressure rail 4 may not grip the last left-hand matrix in the line firmly, and the present invention therefore provides means in the form of an additional gripping surface for such worn matrices. The means herein provided comprises a strip of leather or similar yielding friction material 10 which is inserted in the wall of the assembling elevator opposite to the rail 4, the yieldable and frictional properties of such material when used in conjunction with the pressure rail 4 providing adequate and improved gripping means to prevent the matrix at the extreme left hand end of the line in the assembling elevator from falling over or turning sidewise, even though the elevator may be raised abruptly as sometimes occurs.

Immediately upon the release of the delivery slide 11 from the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the short finger 3 thereof, which is connected to the usual operating means for the delivery slide, moves the matrix line to the left through the assembling elevator matrix channel until the matrix at the extreme left hand end of the line comes against the long line delivery finger 2, whereupon the matrix line is carried between the fingers 2 and 3 into the jaws of the waiting elevator 12, the casting mechanism of the machine being then set into operation in the usual way, causing the first levator to be lowered to carry the matrix line into position between the vise jaws l4 and 15 and to be presented to the front of the mold preparatory to the casting of a type bar or slug therefrom. In casting from matrix lines of a full predetermined length and containing expansible spacebands as usual, the matrix line is expanded lengthwise to completely fill the space between the vise jaws and to completely close the front of the mold cavity by the usual justifying operation which expands the spacebands, thus enabling a cast to be made without leakage of molten metal.

When a cast is to be made from a matrix line which is shorter than the predetermined or column measure, as when one or several words complete a paragraph, or where lines of prim Y matter are to extend around cuts or in other ins ances where short irregular lines are to br produced, as in tabulating matter or listing. it iS d sirable to cast the type characters on a full length slug and thereby avoid subsequent leading out in makeup. Such short matrix lines will not fill the space between the vise jaws when the latter are set for a standard or full length line, and such short length lines would not completely close the front of the mold cavity, so that a cast could not be made therefrom, and the present invention therefore provides means for moving the normally stationary right hand vise jaw 14 toward the usually adjustable left hand vise jaw 15 whenever a short matrix line is presented to the mold, the jaws 14 and 15 which correspond to the usual vise jaws being thus enabled to firmly clamp and hold together the lines of matrices in front of the mold and to close the portion of the mold cavity not closed by the matrices in the line.

The means herein shown for thus moving the vise jaw 14 comprises a yielding connection linked to a bar or extension 16 attached to the right hand vise jaw, the rear face of this extension being flush with the rear face of the vise jaw 14 and serving to close the portion of the front of the mold cavity which lies beyond the relatively short line of matrices. The connection for moving the right hand jaw 14 consists of a link 17 which is pivotally connected at its upper end to the lower end of a lever 18 by a pivot pin 19, the upper end of the lever 18 being pivoted at 19 to the rear side of a face plate l9 which latter is a part of the main stationary frame of the machine, the pivot pin 19 at the lower end of the lever 18 being thus supported to swing approximately horizontally in substantially the direction of movement of the vise jaw 14. The lower end of the link 17 is provided with a pin 17 which projects forwardly therefrom and engages in an aperture formed in the extension 16 near its outer end. The pin 19 carries a block 20 which is provided with a longitudinal bore through which a spring rod 21 extends and which is freely slidable longi tudinally therein, and the block 20 is provided at one end with a collar to which one end of a coiled tension spring 22 is fastened, the other end of said spring being fastened to a collar 23 which is threaded on or otherwise suitably secured to the spring rod 21. The forward end of the usual mold gear arm 24 is provided with a stub shaft 25 which provides a bearing for a pair of levers 26 and 2'1, the lever 26 having a pin 26 thereon through which the spring rod 21 extends and against the opposite sides of which adjustment and lock nuts 21 and 21 on the spring rod 21 abut, and the lever 27 is loosely connected by a link 28 to an operating lever 29. The operating lever 29 is pivoted on a pivot pin 30 located toward the rear of the mold gear arm 24 and it has ayoke-like extension beyond or in rear of its pivot pin which comprises an upper arm 31 and a lower arm 32. The upper arm 31 of the operating lever 29 is provided with a camfblock 33 and the lower arm 32 has a cam face 34 thereon which is concentric'with the main cam shaft 35 of the machine, this cam shaft carrying the well-known first elevator cam 36 which, in the present instance, has a roller 37 provided on its hub. The levers ,26 and 27 are connected by a tension spring 38 and the lever 27 has an arm 39 thereon which is in the path of and is adapted to engage the lever 26 when the latter and the lever 27 are rela-' tively rotated on their common pivot shaft, and

the tension of the spring 38 tends to hold the arm 39 in contact with the lever 26, as shown in Fig. 1. By this construction, when the roller 37 on the cam shaft engages the cam block 33 on the lever 29, the forward end of the latter is swung downwardly, pulling the link 28 and lever 27 downwardly and thereby causing the arm 39 on the latter to act on the lever 26 and swing it toward the left, the pin 26 on the lever 26 then pushing against the lock nuts 21 and pulling the spring rod 21 toward the left, thereby placing the spring 22 under tension sufficient to pull the right hand jaw 14 toward the left hand jaw and thus close against and carry the matrix line toward the left to close the space between the vise jaws, as shown in Fig. 5. Return of the right hand jaw to its normal right hand position after the matrix 'line has been removed from the vise is accomplished by the engagement of the roller 37 on the cam shaft with the cam surface 34 on the lever 29 whereby the forward end of the latter is moved upwardly, pushing upwardly the link 28 and lever 2'7, and causing the latter to swing the lever 26 toward the right so that it pushes against the lock nuts 21 and moves the spring rod 21 toward the right. The right hand jaw is returned to normal position through the yielding over-motion connection provided by the relatively movable levers 26 and 27 and connecting spring 38 so that if the right hand jaw is obstructed in any way in its return motion to normal position, no damage will result. When the lever 27 swings upwardly under the action of the lever 29, the pressure of the bankin arm 39 on the lever 27 against the lever 26 will be relaxed from the pull of the spring 22, which had been expanded by the downward swing of the lever 29, thus allowing the spring 22 to collapse freely, the lever 26 following the receding arm 39, and when the spring 22 is fully collapsed, the arm 39 will continue to recede with a tendency to move away from the lever 26, but the tension of the spring 38 which connects the lever 26 to the lever 27 will transmit power from the lever 29 to the lever 26 to move the right hand jaw closing mechanism to the right until the jaw 14 fully reaches its normal right hand position. The cam surface 34 on the lever 29 is of sufiicient height to move the lever 27 about its pivot 25 to an extent more than that required to move the right hand jaw fully into its normal right hand position, so that some slight pull will be exerted on the spring 38 by the excess motion which causes the lever 27 to swing the arm 39 theron away from the lever 26. thus assuring full return of the right hand jaw to its normal right hand position. While the machine is standing in its normal idle position, the roller 37 will occupy a position to the left of the cam block 33, Fig. 4, or, in other words, it will not contact with the cam block until the casting mechanism of the machine has started and the cam shaft 35 has rotated a few degrees in the direction of the arrow in said figure. The operating lever 29 will be normally held in substantially horizontal position merely by the pull .of the spring 38 connecting the levers'26 and 2!] and which holds the lever 29 in balanced position by holding the arm 39 on the lever 27 in contact with the lever 26. Since the lever 29 thus normally rests idly in a balanced condition and the jaw 14 is normally latched in its right hand position (Fig. 1), by a hook member 40 secured to said jaw and a leaf spring 41 having a hook-like end which is tensioned upwardly to engage the hook 40 firmly, as will be hereinafter described, the ja closing spring 22 will not be under tension until the casting mechanism of the machine is started into operation.

Means is provided for releasing the latch members 40 and 41 during the latter portion of the descent of the first elevator 12 which carries the matrix line downwardly into position between the vise jaws 14 and 15 and in front of the mold, such means comprising a flat spring plate 44 which is secured to-the underside of a bracket 45, the latter being pivoted on a shaft 46 which is mounted in a block 47, the latter being secured by screws or otherwise to the usual vise cap 48. As the front matrix retaining jaw 43 of the first elevator, in its downward travel, approaches the point where its lower edge will contact with the spring plate 44, the spring 22 connected by the link 17 to the extension 16 of the vise jaw 14 will have been placed in tension through rotation of the cam shaft 35 which brings the roller 37 into contact with the cam plate 33 and tilts the operating lever 29 about its pivot so as to swing the lever 27 and, with it, the lever 26 about the shaft 25. Such placing of the spring 22 in tension exerts a pull toward the left (Figs. 1 and 5) on the vise jaw 14 so that, as soon as the first elevator has depressed the bracket 45 through contact with spring plate 44, the latches 40 and 41 are disengaged, such downward tilting of the bracket 45 transmitting a downward pressure on the latch member 41 to disengage it from the latch member 40, through contact of the adjusting screw 49 in the upper portion of the bracket 45 with a spring plate 50 which latter overlies and is brought to bear on the latch member 41. Immediately following the disengagement of the latches 40 and 41, the jaw 14 is forced toward the jaw 15 and carries the relatively short line of matrices to the left to fill out the space between the vise jaws, the space between the vise jaws as shown in Fig. 1 representing the position of these jaws for a matrix line set for full column measure, and the relatively short matrix l-ine M in this figure representing a portion of a matrix line as might be carried over at the end of a paragraph, and Fig. 5 showing the position of the parts after the jaw 14 has moved toward the jaw 15 to close upon the short matrix line between it and the jaw 15.

In order to retain the jaw 14 in such closed position upon the short matrix line, a series of toothed pawls 51 is provided to engage teeth or serrations on the top of the jaw extension 16. One of the pawls 51 is provided with a pin 52 which is rigidly secured therein and projects from opposite sides thereof, while the other pawls are each provided with a-hole 51 which is somewhat larger than the diameter of the pin 52, and the bracket 45 is also provided with a hole 53 of the same diameter as the holes in said pawls. Normally and as shown in Fig. 1, the pin 52 and consequently the pawl carrying said pin and the rest of the pawls, will be held in raised position clear of the extension 16 by the resting of the pin 52 on the bottom of the hole 53 in the bracket 45..

When the bracket 45 is tilted downwardly about its pivot 46, as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, the pin 52 will be free to drop by gravity, and the pawl carrying this pin and also the rest of the pawls will then be-free to fall by gravity to engage the teeth or serrations on the upper side of the jaw extension 16. Each pawl 51 is slightly longer than the one in front of it so that, although the space between adjacent teeth or serrations on the jaw extension 16 may be for example em, one or another of the toothed pawls .51 will be certain to fully engage the nearest tooth or serration in the extension 16, the arrangement shown providing for the positioning of the teeth on several pawls in advance of one another to the extent of onefourth of the distance between the adjacent serrations on the extension 16.

In order to enable a short matrix line to be quadded out automatically even where no spacebands are present in the line, means is provided for tightly clamping the matrix line endwise between the vise jaws 14 and 15, it being understood that, in machines of this class, a matrix line without spacebands to expand it endwise and fill out the space between the vise jaws tightly will not permit the machine to make a cast, the justification mechanism being usually arranged to operate in that event a stop mechanism for the metal pump so as to prevent a metal squirt which would result from the unjustified and therefore loose line, an example of such stop mechanism being shown in my prior Patent No. 1,727,314 granted September 3, 1929. The means shown in the present instance for moving the jaw 14 toward the jaw 15 to tightly clamp a matrix line without space-bands so that a cast can take place comprises an eccentric pivot mounting for the pawls 51 and connecting mechanism therefor to cooperate with the justifying mechanism of the machine. As shown in Fig. 'I, the pivot shaft 46 for the bracket 45 has an eccentric sleeve 54 thereon which serves as a bearing for the pawls 51. The forward end of the sleeve 54 is flattened as at 55 and a crank 56 is rigidly secured to this portion of the sleeve. The crank 56 is connected by a link 57 to one end of a lever 58 which is pivoted as at 59 and intermediately of its ends on a suitable part of the main frame of the machine. The other end of the lever 58 is provided with a short stud 60 which extends forwardly therefrom and intothe path of a shoulder 61 on a block 62, the latter being secured toa vertically movable bar 63 which operates the usual justification or spaceband expanding bar 64. A tension spring 58 is connected to the lever 58 and serves to normally hold the stud 60 in its lowered position in the path of the shoulder 61.

Assuming a relatively short matrix line has been presented between the vise jaws 14 and 15 and there are no spacebands present in the line, the jaw 14 will be moved toward the jaw 15 in the manner hereinbefore described until both jaws engage the respective ends of the matrix line, and the pawl 51, the teeth of which lie nearest the teeth or serrations in thejaw extension 16, will fall into engagement therewith, and upon the continued operation of the machine, the justification members 63 and 64 will move upwardly in the usual and well-known manner. As soon as the shoulder 61 engageslthe stud 60 on the lever 58, the latter will be rocked about its pivot 59 and will pull downwardly on the link 57 and crank 56 so that the shaft 46 and eccentric collar 54 secured thereto will be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction (Fig. 6) thereby driving the pawls 51 toward the left in that figure and consequently moving the jaw 14 toward the left and exerting endwise pressure on the matrix line so that the' in the line as occurs in casting from the usual full lenth lines. The full lines in Fig. 6 show the jaw 14 and the means for operating it to exert endwise pressure on the matrix line prior to the operation of the justifying mechanism and the dotted lines in that figure show the position of the parts after the justifying mechanism has operated and moved the jaw 14 tightly against the matrix line to exert endwise pressure thereon. If no spacebands are contained in the line, the closing and tight clamping of the line will be effected instead by the driving action of the pawls 51 under the action of the justifying means as just described, but if one or more spacebands are contained in the line, the usual wedges thereof will be engaged and driven upwardly by the justifying bar 64 to expand such spacebands and the filling out of the line thus accomplished will take place concurrently with the driving action of the pawls 51 on the right hand vise jaw 14, the reduced upward stroke of the justifying mechanism resulting therefrom being compensated for by the spring which is usually employed to actuate the justifying mechanism. The mechanism just described for quadding out relatively short lines will therefore be effective either with or without the use of spacebands.

In ordinary composition, such short matrix lines occur mostly at the ends of paragraphs so that the body matter of a predetermined column width consists of full length lines which must be justified in order that all lines will be of the same length. When it is desired to cast from a matrix line of full length containing spacebands, that is, a matrix line of predetermined measure equal in length to the space between the vise jaws 14 and 15, it is not necessary that the right hand jaw 14 move toward the left hand jaw 15, but the jaw 14 must be allowed to stop in the usual manner against a fixed banking member on the machine. When setting such full length matrix lines, the quadding mechanism provided by the present invention may'be locked out of action by the operator by pushing in a plunger or finger bolt 65 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is mounted to slide transversely in the usual intermediate delivery channel 66, this plunger or bolt, when pushed in, entering a hole 67 provided in the link 17, as shown in Fig. 5, and thereby holding the link 17 against movement under the action of the spring 22 to move the jaw 14 toward the jaw 15 in the manner hereinbefore described. However, the quadding mechanism may remain in operative condition at all times, if desired, by leaving the plunger or finger bolt 65 in its forwardly withdrawn position, in which case the jaw 14 will be urged toward the jaw 15 in the manner hereinbefore described, even when a full length matrix line is introduced between the jaws. Since such a matrix line will be composed to approximately the full measure for which the machine is set, the jaw 14, when released by disagement of the latches 40 and 41, can move only a short distance toward the jaw 15, but since such a full measure matrix line will contain spacebands in order to justify it to the full column width and such spacebands prior to justification will be contracted, closing in of the jaw 14, if permitted to take place prior to justification, might allow one of the pawls 51 to engage one or another of the teeth or serrations on the jaw extension 16 nearest to the jaw 14, as for example, the second tooth or serration 6.8 in Fig. 6. It will be seen that if such engagement of the pawls were permitted to take place as the jaw 14 moved toward the jaw 15, prior to the upward travel of the justification bar 64 which engages the wedges of the spacebands and expands the latter in the usual way, the jaw 14 would be locked in its ad-' vanced position and thus prevent full expansion of the line through the upward drive against the spacebands by the bar 64, and the slug cast from such a matrix line would have the characters thereon indented at the end thereof and the line would not be of full length to fill out the width cf the column.

Means is provided to avoid such interference with the justification and full expansion of such full measure matrix lines, it comprising in the present instance an angle plate 69 which is fixed to a portion of the outer face of the jaw 14 so that it overlies several of the teeth or serrations on the jaw extension 16 adjacent to said jaw. By the use of such angle plate, it will be seen that when a matrix line of approximately full column measure is presented between the jaws 14 and 15 and the jaw 14 is released by disengagement of the latches 40 and 41, movement of the jaw 14 toward the jaw 15 through a relatively short distance will not result in engagement of any of the pawls 51 with any of the teeth or serrations on the extension 16 but will merely allow these pawls to rest on top of that portion of the angle plate 69 which overlies the teeth or serrations immediately behind the jaw 14, and hence the justification bar 64 can act freely on the spacebands in the matrix line and expand the line to its full length, such expansion of the matrix line driving the jaw 14 away from the jaw 15 such a distance as it may have advanced toward the jaw 15 prior to justification, the jaw 14 then stopping against the usual stop pin provided for it in the right hand end of the vise cap, or against an adjustable banking screw 14 which may be conveniently fixed to the vise cap 48 for this purpose.

A further improvement made in the machine in order to perfect the operation of the quadding means herein described comprises means for preventing the matrices in the short matrix line from scrambling or twisting when the jaw 14 is released and moves toward the jaw 15 under the action of the spring 22. Such movement of the jaw 14 and with it the short line of matrices unsupported at its left hand end, as shown in Fig. 1, occurs somewhat abruptly, and it has'been found that the space between the front matrix retaining jaw 43 and the rear matrix retaining jaw '70 of the first elevator allows such freedom of movement of the matrices that they will not always remain compactly against one another. To prevent such scrambling, twisting or other displacement of the matrices during their movement, between the first elevator jaws under the closing action of the jaw 14, one of the matrix retaining jaws of the first elevator, for example the front jaw 43, is provided-with a rail 71 which, as shown in Fig. 9, is urged inwardly by springs 72 encircling screws 73 to which the rail is fastened and which support it for transverse movement. Two of the mounting screws '73 are sufficient and they may be located near the respective ends of the jaw 43. The rail '71 is positioned immediately alongside of the path of the upper ears of the ,matrices travelling in the channel between the jaws 43 and so that its inward movement under the action of the springs 72 exerts sufiicient pressure on the matrices to keep them closely compacted as they are pushed along in the channel of the first elevator, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 5.

It will be understood that when quadding out a short matrix line by moving thejaw 14 toward the jaw 15 in the manner hereinbefore described, the jaw 15 is set to a predetermined measure or matrix line length in' accordance with the width of the column to be printed from the cast slugs. Setting of the jaw 15 to any desired line measure may be accomplished in various ways as, for example, by the construction shown in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,108,758 granted August 25, 1914 to T. S. Homans. Since the manner in which this jaw is adjusted forms no part of the present invention, it is deemed unnecessary to describe such jaw setting means in detail, but such jaw setting means as shown in said Homans patent is shown generally in the accompanying drawings and it may be described briefly as comprising an operating knob or handle 74 suitably mounted rotatably in a bracket 75 secured to the left hand end of the vise cap 48, this knob having a shaft to which is fixed a pinion '74 which meshes with a rack '76 which is secured, as at 7'7, in a block 78, the latter being slidable. in a guiding channel in the vise cap and carrying an abutment 79 which serves as a stop for the jaw 15. The vise jaws 14 and 15 are mounted on blocks 80 and 81 respectively in the usual or well-known manner, these blocks being slidable in a groove in the vise cap 48 and guiding the vise jaws in their movements longitudinally thereof toward and from one another. As shown the stop '79 for the jaw 15 is adapted to rest against the left hand end of the block 81 which carries the jaw 15, and the setting of the stop 79 in difierent positions by manipulation of the knob 74 determines the positions of the left hand jaw 15 for'different line measures. The setting device for the jaw 15, as will be clearly understood from said Homans patent, also comprises a rod or link 98 which is forced upwardly by a spring under control of the vise jaw closing lever of the machine, and is connected to a crank arm 98' which latter is fixed to a threaded sleeve which acts on the rack 76 to force the jaw 15 inwardly or toward the jaw 14 and thus firmly clamp the matrix line when the rod or link 98 is moved upwardly, thereby holding the matrix line in tightly clamped condition during the casting operation, and this slight movement of the jaw 15 toward the jaw 14,which takes place during justification of the matrix line, serves to accurately gauge the length of the line according to the setting of the vise jaws and to bring the left hand end of the matrix line into proper casting relation with the left hand end of the slug casting cavity in the mold.

The present invention further provides means adapted to be brought into action, when desired, to cast a slug which is indented at both ends so that the type characters thereon will appear centrally of the length thereof, and such means enables such a slug to be cast without the necessity of employing the usualspacebands in the assembled line' of matrices. In order to indent both endsofalineofcharactersonaslugtodispose to said block, and another toothed bar 83 which is secured to the block 81 carrying the jaw 15. A manually slidable plunger or shaft 84 is rotatably mounted in the vise cap 48 and projects forwardly therein and is provided at its forward end and at the front of the vise cap with a knob for reciprocating and rotating it. The rear or opposite end of this plunger or shaft has a pinion fixed thereon, and this pinion is adapted to mesh simultaneously with the toothed'bars 82 and 83 when the plunger or shaft 84 occupies its rear position and to disengage from said toothed bars and occupy a position within a recess 85 in the vise cap when the shaft 84 is drawn forwardly. The plunger or shaft 84 is provided with means for retaining it in either of these two positions, it being shown provided with circumferential grooves or depressions 86 and 87 (Fig. 18) and a detent comprising a ball 88 which is pressed yieldingly into one or the other of said grooves or depressions by a spring 89 behind the ball and a screw 90 which is threaded into the vise cap. By this arrangement, the ball 88 will engage the recess 86 to retain the pinion 85 in its forward position, disengaged from the toothed bars 82 and 83, but the ball will be displaced from said depression when the plunger or shaft 84 is pushed, rearwardly to engage the pinion 85 with the toothed bars 82 and 83, and the ball will then engage the groove or depression 87 and retain the pinion 85 in engagement with said toothed ars.

As already stated, the jaw 15 may be set to any predetermined line measure by operating the jaw setting knob or handle 74, the jaw abutment 79 being thereby moved against the block 81 carrying the jaw 15 and moving said jaw toward the jaw 14 the required distance, the space between the jaws l4 and 15 then representing the length of the line to be produced on the slug cast from the matrix lines positioned between the jaws. During such setting of the jaw 15 to the desired line measure, the plunger 84 is withdrawn forwardly so that its pinion 85 is out of engagement with the toothed bars or racks 82 and 83, the jaws being then unconnected by the pinion 85 so that the jaw 15 may be set in different positions relatively to the jaw 14. When a line is to be cast in which the characters stand centrally of the column width, it is merely necessary, assuming the jaw 15 to be properly set, to push the plunger or shaft 84 inwardly or rearwardly, thereby bringing the pinion 85 thereon into engagement with the toothed bars 82 and 83, the pinion 85 meshing with the toothed bars 82 and 83 then forming an equalized motion transmitting connection between the jaws. With the parts in this condition, any movement of the jaw 14 toward the companion jaw 15, upon release of the latches 40 and 41 in the manner hereinbefore described, will impart a like movement to the jaw 15, power being transmitted to the jaw 15 from the toothed bar 82 which will then move. to the left (Fig. 11) rotating the pinion 85 in a clockwise direction and causing the rack 83 and the block 81 to which it is secured, as well as the jaw 15 carried by said block, to move toward the right or toward the jaw 14. This equalized movement of the jaws toward one another will cause the. line of matrices M to stand centrally with respect to the length of the mold slot 106, as will be seen from Fig. 14, so that a slug cast in the mold from a matrix line so positioned by the vise jaws will have the type characters thereon indented an equal amount from each end thereof.

7 In order that the of the matrix lines may be as exact as possible with respect to the ends of the slug, means is provided for adjusting the toothed bar 82 in relation to the toothed bar 83. Means to accomplish this adjustment is shown in detail in Fig. 15 wherein the jaw block which carries the jaw 14 and in which the bar 82 is slidable, is provided with an adjusting screw 104 which extends to the outer end of the jaw block and is threaded into the end of the bar 82, a pin 105 in the block 80 engaging a circumferential groove in the screw to hold the latter against longitudinal movement. By turning the screw 104, the toothed bar 82 will be caused to slide in the undercut groove of the block 80 in which it is fitted and thereby position its teeth in exact timed relation with the teeth on the bar 83.

When the left hand jaw 15 is caused to move toward the jaw 14 by the connecting toothed bars and pinion, the block 81 carrying the jaw 15 will move away.from the abutment 79 so that,

the latter will then not be in a position to hold the jaw 15 against movement in a direction away fom the jaw 14, and the abutment 79 will also be unable to then move the jaw 15 slightly toward the jaw 14 during justification of the line when the rod or link 98 is actuated, as when casting full length lines with spacebands or when quadding out short lines with or without spacebands, and it is therefore necessary to provide some other means for moving the jaw 15 against the matrix line to clamp it tightly and to retain said jaw in tightly closed position against the line when the block 81 carrying this jaw is moved away from the abutment '79. Preferably, a set of locking pawls similar to those used for the jaw 14 is employed for locking the jaw 15. As shown, the jaw 15 has a toothed or serrated extension 91 suitably secured to the top edge thereof, and a bearing bracket 92 is fixed to the vise cap and overhangs the rear edge thereof to support a set of toothed pawls 93 on a shaft 94, this shaft having an eccentric collar 95 fixed thereon and on which the pawls 93 are freely pivoted. A lever 96 is pinned or otherwise fixed to the rear end of the shaft 94 and is pivotally connected to a vertical link 97, the lower end of this link being pivotally connected to the upper end of the rod or link 98 which, as previously explained, operates to close the jaw 15 tightly against the matrix line during justification when the abutment '79 is in engagement with the block 81, it having been found convenient to utilize the upward movement of the rod or link 98 to impart a similar movement to the jaw 15 in a direction toward the jaw 14, through the action of the pawls 93, when the latter are locked in the toothed or serrated extension 91 secured to the top of the jaw 15, the upward movement of the rod 98 operating through the arm 96 to rotate the eccentric collar 95 on which the pawls 93 are pivoted, thereby forcing these pawls and, in consequence, the jaw 15, toward the right and the jaw 14.

The pawls 93 are brought into action upon descent of the first elevator in a manner similar to that in which the pawls 51 for the jaw 14 arev overlying the pawls. An angularly shaped bracket 101 is secured to one of the pawls 93 and a portion of this bracket overlies the spring plate 100 and carries an adjusting screw 102 which bears on the spring plate 100. As in the instance of the pawls 51 for the jaw 14, one of the pawls 93 is provided with a pin 103 which is rigidly secured therein while the remaining pawls of this set are provided each with an aperture somewhat larger in diameter than the pin 103. In this instance, the same pawl 93 which carries the angular bracket 101 also carries the pin 103.

Normally, the adjusting screw 102 resting on the spring plate 100 retains the pawls 93 elevated and out of engagement with the teeth or serrations on the jaw extension 91 until the first elevator descends sufilciently to bring the undersurface of the block 99 into contact with the spring'plate 100, which contact takes place as the first elevator nears the completion of its downward stroke. The resulting depression of the spring plate 100 then allows the pawls 93 to swing, downwardly about their bearing on the sleeve 95 so that their toothed portions engage the teeth or serrations on the extension 91. After the jaws 14 and 15 have moved toward one another under the action of the spring 22 which draws the jaw 14 toward the left as previously described, it being understood that the pinion is then in engagement with the racks 82 and 83, so that such left hand movement of the jaw 14 will produce a corresponding or equal right hand movement of the jaw 15, so that the matrix line is confined between the jaws centrally of the length of the mold slot, as previously explained, the usual justification action of the machine takes place, whereupon the rod 98 is driven upwardly, carrying with it the link 97 and arm 96, the latter turning the shaft 94 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 11), and the eccentric collar on this shaft and on which the pawls 93 are pivoted will be correspondingly rotated in a direction which will move the pawls 93 toward the right, thereby forcing the jaw 15 in the same direction so that it will be tightly closed against the matrix line, it being understood that the pawls 93 at this time are in engagement with the toothed or serrated extension 91 on the jaw 15.

It will thus be understood that, although no spacebands may be present in the matrix line, such matrix line, irrespective of its length or whether containing-a single matrix or several matrices or a few words which fall short of full column width, will be centered relatively to the slug casting mold so that the characters cast on the slug will be positioned centrally of its length, and the eccentric actuating means for the pawls 51 which act on the jaw 14 and the pawls 93 which act on the jaw 15 will cause both jaws to be tightly urged toward one another to firmly clamp or look up the matrix line when the operation of the usual justification mechanism of the machine takes place.

The operation of a machine constructed as hereinbefore described is as follows:

While composing matrix lines of the full length or measure for which the jaws 14 and 15 are set, and which lines contain expansible spacebands as usual, such lines are composed in the assembling elevator 1 in the usual way against the finger 8 of the usual assembler slide 9, which recedes toward the left as the matrix line is composed, and when the line is of the proper length, the assembling elevator 1 is lifted as usual to carry the matrix line therein into position between the long and short fingers 2 and 3 of the line delivery slide, and the latter is released by tripping the detent 42 in the usual way, whereupon the delivery slide moves toward the left (Fig. 1) to transfer the line to the matrix channel between the jaws of the first elevator which is then positioned at the proper level to receive the line, as is usual in machines of this class, the matrix line being first engaged by the short finger 3 of the delivery slide, which is connected as usual to the actuating means for the slide, and as this finger is movable toward the finger 2, it will bring the matrix line against the finger 2 whereupon the latter will shift with the finger 3 during the transfer of the matrix line to the first elevator. As soon as the matrix line has been introduced into the first elevator, the casting mechanism of the machine is started into operation, as usual in machines of this class, and the first elevator then descends to casting position, carrying the matrix line into position between the vise jaws 14 and 15, following which, the justifying bar 64 rises to engage and expand the spacebands in the line to fill out the line to full measure and the rod or link 98 rises and operates through the abutment 79 to force the left hand jaw 15 slightly toward the right hand jaw 14 to exactly gauge the length of the line and to firmly clamp or look the line endwise, following which the mold is brought into engagement with the rear character bearing face of the matrix line and the usual casting mechanism may operate in the well known way to cast a type bar or slug in the mold against the matrix line. During the casting from matrix lines of full length or measure, the quadding device for the right hand jaw 14 may be locked out of action by engaging the plunger or bolt 65 in the hole 67 in the link 17, the tension applied to the spring 22 by the depression of the forward end of the lever 29 caused by the engagement of the roller 37 with the cam plate 33 then having no effect on the jaw 14 so that the latter may rest in its extreme right hand position against the banking screw 14, and such reciprocation as may be imparted to the pawls 51 by rotation of their eccentric bearing collar 54 due to the engagement of the shoulder 61 on the justifying means with the stud 'will have no effect upon the jaw 14 since the toothed ends of the pawls 51 will then rest on the angle plate 69 asshown in Fig. 1 so that they will be disengaged from the toothed or serrated extension 16 of the jaw 14. If, during the casting of such full length matrix lines, the plunger or bolt is not engaged in the hole 67 in the link 17 so that the quadding device for the jaw 14 is permitted to remain in operative condition, the right hand jaw 14 will be drawn toward the jaw 15 by the action of the spring 22 each time the lever 29 is actuated by the roller 3'7, but such movement of the jaw 14 will be limited as this jaw comes into engagement with the line of full measure, and since the pawls 51 will then remain on the angle plate 69 so that they cannot engage the toothed or serrated extension 16, the jaw 14 will be free to bank against the stop screw 14 when the matrix lineis justified by the expansion of the spacebands contained therein. During the casting of lines of full length or measure, the plunger or shaft 84 is in its forward position so that the pinion 85 thereon is disengaged from the racks or toothed bars 82 and 83.

When a matrix line of short length or a length less than the full measure for which the machine is set, such as a line which occurs at the end of a paragraph, is composed in the assembling elevator, such short matrix line, whether or not it contains spacebands, is lifted by the assembling elevator into position to be received by the delivery slide, and the operation of the latter causes the short finger 3 to engage such matrix line and to move it into engagement with the long finger 2 and the short matrix line, thus confined between the fingers 2 and 3, is carried into the first elevator, and the following descent of the first elevator carries this short matrix line into position between the vise jaws 14 and 15, as indicated in Fig. 1, the short matrix line being against or adjacent to the right hand jaw 14. By providing the spring pressed rail 4 in one jaw of the assembling elevator and the strip 10 of yielding friction material in the other jaw of this elevator, falling over or turning sidewise of the matrix at the left hand end of the line during the lifting of the assembling elevator, even though abrupt, is avoided, thus rendering it unnecessary for the operator to set the delivery slide finger 2 for such short length lines. In composing such a short length line, the plunger or bolt 65 is disengaged from the hole 67 in the link 17 so that tension applied to the spring 22 may act on the right hand jaw 14. As the first elevator nears the completion of its descent to casting position, the spring plate 44 is depressed by the lower edge of the first elevator jaw 43, thereby swinging the bracket 45 downwardly about the pivot 46 and disengaging the latch member 41 from the latch member 40 and allowing the pin 52 to descend so that the pawls 51 may drop into engagement with the teeth or serrations on the extension 16 of the jaw 14. The rotation of the main cam shaft 35 brings the roller 37 against the cam plate 33, thereby swinging the forward end of the lever 29 downwardly which, acting through the link 28 and levers 26 and 2'7, pulls the spring rod 21 toward the left in Fig. 1, thus tensioning the spring 22, and the tension thus applied to the spring 22 will act, through the link 17, to move the right hand jaw 14 toward the left or toward the left hand jaw 15, thus carrying the matrix line toward the left and against the left hand jaw 15, as shown in Fig. 5. One of the pawls 51, which drop by gravity onto the toothed extension 16 of the jaw 14, will engage the teeth on said extension and thereby hold the jaw 14 in the position into which it has been shifted. The ascent of the justifying members 63 and 64, which then takes place, causes the lever 58 to be rocked from its normal full line position toward or into dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, by the engagement of the shoulder 61 with the stud 60, and the link 57 will be pulled downwardly by the lever 58 and will rotate the eccentric collar 54 on which the pawls 51 are pivoted so that these pawls are reciprocated in a direction to force the jaw 14 toward the jaw 15, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, thereby clamping the matrix line and confining it in an endwise direction. The upward movement of the rod or link 98, which takes place during the justifying action, will also move the left hand jaw 15, set for the full line measure, slightly toward the jaw 14 by advancing the abutment 79, which then res-ts against the jaw block 81, to firmly clamp or look up the matrix line, and the slug cast from the matrix line while thus locked between the vise jaws will have the type characters thereon indented at one end of the slug.

Such firm clamping or locking of a short matrix line is accomplished in the manner described, although the matrix line may contain no spacebands, but if any spacebands are contained in such a short line, they will be expanded by the engagement of the justifying bar 64 with their wedges, and the short line will be confined by the locking of the right hand jaw 14 after it has been shifted toward the jaw 15 to compensate for the short length of the line. In either case, the right hand jaw 14 and the extension 16 thereon will close that portion of the mold slot 106 which is not closed by the matrix line, so that a cast may be made in the mold without leakage of metal, and filling out of the line to full measure by the insertion of blank matrices or quads by hand, as heretofore proposed, is rendered unnecessary. If no spacebands are contained in the short line, abnormal ascent of the justifying mechanism will, nevertheless, be prevented by the arresting of the ascent of the justifying mechanism by the engagement of the shoulder 61 thereon with the stud 60, and hence the quadding device provided by the present invention enables the cast to be made in a machine equipped with a metal pump stop mechanism which is set into operation by an abnormal or excess motion of the justifying mechanism, as occurs when an unfilled or loosely filled matrix line is presented to the mold.

After the casting has taken place, the justifying mechanism returns to normal pofltion, allowing the pawls 51 to retreat or return to the full line position shown in Fig. 6, they then relaxing their pressure on the jaw 14 and allowing the latter to return to the full line position shown in that figure, the tension of the spring 22 having been previously released by the movement of the roller 37 beyond the cam plate 33 so that the jaw 14 is no longer forced toward the jaw 15, and the rod or link 98 descends, allowing the abutment 79 t recede, thereby allowing the jaw 15 to retract sufilciently to release the matrix line, and the latter is then carried upwardly from between the jaws 14 and 15 by the ascent of the first elevator and the matrices composing the line may be distributed in the usual and well known way. The ascent of the first elevator carries the lower edge of its jaw 43 out of engagement with the spring plate 44, and the spring 50 then acts on the bracket 45 to swing it upwardly about its pivot 46, the pin 52 associated with the pawls 51 being thereby lifted and thereby elevating these pawls into disengaged relation with the toothed or serrated extension 16. The upward swing of the bracket 45 under the action of the spring 50 also returns the latch member 41 to a position where it will re-engage the latch member 40 on the jaw 14 when the latter is returned to its normal right hand position. The jaw 14 is returned to its normal right hand position, after the casting operation, by the engagement of the roller 3'! on the cam shaft 35 with the concentric portion 34 on the lower yoke arm 32 of the lever 29, the roller 3'! acting to force upwardly the forward end of this lever and acting through the levers 26 and 2'1 to compress the spring 22 and thereby force the link 17 toward the right, the link 1'! carrying with it the righthand jaw 14. when the roller 37 passes the portion 34 on the lever 29, the latter is then in a freely balanced condition and the spring 22 is then free of tension or compression, so that the jaw 14 may rest against its banking screw 14.

when it is desired to cast a slug indented at both" ends so that the type characters thereon will appear centrally of the length thereof from a matrix line with or without spacebands therein, it is merely necessary for the operator to shift the plunger or shaft 84 rearwardly so that the pinion thereon is meshed with the racks or toothed bars 82 and 83 and to disengage the plunger or bolt 65 from the hole 67 in the link 17 if such plunger were previously engaged therewith, and to then compose the matrix line in the assembling elevator 1 in the same manner described above respecting the composition of short matrix lines indented at one end, the composed matrix line in this instance being lifted by the assembling elevator to the line delivery slide and conveyed by the latter to the first elevator and the latter, after starting of the casting mechanism in the usual way, lowering the matrix line into casting position in front of the mold and between the vise jaws. As the first elevator approaches its lowermost position, the latch members 40 and 41 will be disengaged by engagement of the first elevator with the spring plate 44 of the bracket 45 and the roller 37 on the main cam shaft 35 will engage and act on the cam plate 33 to depress the forward end of the lever 29 and to thereby act through the levers 26 and 2'7 to tension the spring 22, as described above respect ing the operation of casting from short lines indented at one end only. However, in this instance the movement of the right hand vise jaw 14 toward the left, produced by the tension imposed on the spring 22, will produce a movement to an equal degree of the left hand vise jaw 15 toward the right, owing to the equalized motion transmitting connection established between the jaws by the pinion 85 meshing with the racks or toothed bars 82 and 83, so that the jaws l4 and 15 will simultaneously close in against the opposite ends of the matrix line and will position it centrally of the length of the mold slot 106, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 14. As the first elevator nears completion of its descent, the pawls 51 are caused to engage the toothed or serrated extension 16 on the jaw 14 by the downward rocking of the bracket 45 due to the engagement of the first elevator with the spring plate 44 and also the connecting block 99 of the first elevator engages the spring plate 100 and depresses it and consequently the pawls 93 so that they come into engagement wtih the toothed or serrated bar 91 on the jaw 15. During the justifying action which immediately follows, the lever 58 is rocked by the justifying mechanism in the manner hereinbefore described to reciprocate or advance the pawls 51 to force the jaw 14 against its end of the matrix line and at the same time the upward stroke of the rod or link 98 which takes place during the justifying action operates as hereinbefore described to reciprocate the pawls 93 and thereby force the jaw 15 against its end of the matrix line, the matrix line being thereby firmly clamped or locked up between the jaws which are thus simultaneously and equally forced toward one another, and the cast is made from the matrix line while it is thus locked between the jaws. Since the relatively short matrix line is thus positioned by the jaws centrally of the length of the mold cavity 106, the resulting slug cast in the mold against the matrix line will have the type characters thereon located centrally of the length of the slug, or in other words the type characters will be indented to the same extent at each end of the slug. The firm clamping of the matrix line by the vise jaws acting under the influence of the pawls 51 and 93 will tightly close the matrix line so that no leakage of metal can take place between the matrices during the casting operation, even though no expansible spacebands are contained in the line to expand it, although if spacebands are contained inthe line, they will be expanded in the usual way by the ascent of the justifying bar 64 which will force upwardly the usual wedges of the spacebands. The ends of the mold cavity 106 beyond or not covered and closed by the matrices in the line will be closed and covered by the jaws 14 and 15 and the toothed extension 16 of the jaw 14 which then overlap and form metal tight closures for these ends of the mold cavity. The final closing movement imparted to the jaw 15 by the reciprocation of the pawls 93 is accomplished independently of the abutment 79 which ordinarily acts to effect the final closing movement of this jaw in casting from full length lines or lines indented at one end only, the abutment 79 however being unable to perform this function when the jaw 15 is shifted toward the jaw 14 to center a matrix line, the jaw 15 being then out of contact with or beyond the range of operation of the abutment 79. The limiting of the stroke of the justifying mechanism by its engagement with the lever 58 and cooperative parts which effect the final clamping or locking movement of the jaw 14 enables the casting operation to take place without stoppage by the metal t stop mechanism as usually employed in mac es of this class under control of the justifying mechanism. After the cast has been made, the justifying mechanism recedes and the rod or link 98 is lowered, as usual, thereby allowing the pawls 51 and 93 to relax their pressure on the respective jaws and thus unclamp or unlock the matrix line, and the ascent of the first elevator then lifts the matrix line from its position between the vise jaws and carries it to a point for removal and distribution in the usual way. The initial part of the ascent of the first elevator disengages it from the spring plates 44 and 100, thereby causing the pawls 51 and 93 to be lifted out of engagement with the toothed or serrated members 16 and 91 on the respective jaws, and at the same time, the latch member 41 rises so that it is in position to re-engage the latch member 40 when the jaw 14 is returned to its normal retracted position against the banking screw 14', and as the jaw 14 is retracted in the manner hereinbefore described, it moving toward the right, the jaw 15 is simultaneously retracted for return to its normal position at the left and against the abutment 79 by the tron of motion from the jaw 14 to the jaw 15 through the pinion 85 and the racks or toothedbars 82 and 83 with which it meshes. If the next matrix line to be composed is of full length or indented at one end only, or in other words is not to be centered or indented at both ends, it is merely necessary for the operator to pull the plunger or shaft 84 forwardly to disengage the pinion 85 from the racks or toothed bars 82 and 83, in order to set the machine for composition and casting of the next line.

While casting from full length matrix lines or matrix lines which are quadded out at one end. at which times the left hand jaw 15 will occupy its normal left hand position against the abutment '79 of the jaw setting and clamping device, the pawls 93 and the jaw setting and clamping device will act concurrently to move the left hand jaw into line clamping and locking position, but the jaw clamping and locking movement imparted to the pawls 93 by their eccentric collar is the same as that imparted to the usual abutment or banking pin 79, so that no objection arises from such concurrent action, and the pawls '93 will be ready and able to move the left hand jaw into line clamping and locking position after it has been closed against a line indented at both ends, at which time this jaw will be out of contact with the abutment or banking pin 79.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a line composing and type casting machine having a vise embodying opposed jaws adapted to be set to receive full length matrix lines between them, means for moving at least one of said jaws toward the other jaw to close against a short length matrix line, and means independent of said jaw closing means to act automatically on said movable jaw while it is in short line closing position to force it from such position toward the other jaw to clamp and lock such short length matrix line endwise.

2. ma line composing and type casting machine having a vise embodying relatively movable jaws for presenting a matrix line to a slug casting mold, means for normally setting said jaws to receive a full length matrix line between them, means for moving at least one of said jaws toward the other jaw to close against a short length matrix line and to correspondingly close the mold,

and means operative independently of said jaw closing means to automatically act on and force said movable jaw, while it is in short line closing position, from such position toward the other jaw to clamp such short length line endwise.

3. In a line composing and type casting machine having a matrix line receiving vise embodying opposed jaws at least one of which is movable toward and from the other jaw to close against full length or short length matrix lines, means for closing said movable jaw against a matrix line, means for locking said movable jaw in different line closing positions, and means independent of said jaw closing means for actuating said locking means, while the movable jaw is in short length line closing position, to force said movable jaw from such position toward the other jaw to clamp the matrix line endwise.

4. In a line composing and type casting machine, a matrix line receiving vise comprising right hand and left hand jaws, means for moving the right hand jaw toward the left hand jaw to close against short length matrix lines, means for locking said right hand jaw, in different short line closing positions, and means operable independently of said jaw closing means for actuating said locking means, while holding said right hand jaw in a short length line closing position, to force said jaw from such position toward the left hand jaw to clamp such matrix line endwise.

5. In a line composing and type casting machine, a matrix line receiving vise comprising right hand and left hand jaws, the left hand jaw being movable different distances from its normal full line closing position toward the right hand jaw to close against matrix lines of less than full length, means for locking said left hand jaw in different closing positions removed from its normal full line closing position, and means for actuating said locking means, while holding said left hand jaw in one of said closing positions removed from its normal full line closing position, to force said jaw from such position toward the $21: hand jaw to clamp a matrix line end- 6. In a line composing and type casting machine, a vise for presenting a matrix line to a slug casting mold comprising opposed jaws both movable toward and from each other to close against the ends of a matrix line, means connecting said jaws for causing them to move equal distances toward one another to center a matrix line lengthwise relatively to the mold, independent means for locking each of said jaws in line closing positions, and means for actuating the respective locking means to force said jaws toward one another to clamp a matrix line endwise.

"I. In a line composing and type casting machine having a matrix line receiving vise comprising opposed jaws at least one of which is movable toward the other jaw to close against matrix lines of different lengths, a toothed member connected to said movable jaw, pawl means engageable with said toothed member to lock said movable jaw in different closing positions, and means for actuating said pawl means while engaged with said toothed member to force said movable jaw from line closing position toward the opposed jaw to clamp a matrix line endwise.

8. In a line composing and type casting machine having a matrix line receiving vise compr sing opposed jaws at least one of which is movable toward the other jaw to close against matrix lines of different lengths, a toothed member connected to said movable jaw, pawl means having an eccentric mounting and engageable with said toothed member to lock said movable jaw in different closing positions, and means for actuating the eccentric mounting for said pawl means while the latter is engaged with said toothed member to force the movable jaw toward the opposed jaw.

9. In a line composing and type casting machine having a matrix line receiving vise comprising opposed jaws at least one of which is movable toward the other jaw to close against a line of less than full length, means for closing said movable jaw against a matrix line, and justifying means for expanding spacebands when such are present in the matrix line, means independent of said jaw closing means and actuated by the justifying means to automatically act on said movable jaw and force it from such closing position toward the opposed jaw to clamp a matrix line endwise.

10. In a line composing and type casting machine, a matrix line receiving vise comprising opposed jaws at least one of which is movable from a normal full matrix line receiving position toward the opposed jaw to close against a short matrix line, latch means for holding said movable jaw in its said normal position, means for locking said movable jaw in short matrix line closing position, means for disengaging said latch means and rendering said locking means operative, and means for actuating said locking means to force the movable jaw, while in its short line closing position, toward the opposed jaw to clamp a short matrix line endwise.

11. In a line composing and type casting machine, a vise for presenting a matrix line to a slug casting mold, said vise comprising jaws which are both movable toward and from one another, means to connect said jaws and cause equal movements of said jaws toward one another to center a matrix line with respect to the length of the mold, pawl means to simultaneously act on each of said jaws to lock them at difl'erent distances apart, and means for simultaneously actuating said pawl means to force the respective jaws towardeach other to clamp a matrix line end-- wise between them.

12. In a, line composing and type casting machine, a matrix line receiving vise comprising opposed jaws at least one of which is movable toward and from the other, an actuating spring connected to said movable jaw, a member connected to said spring and movable in opposite directions to tension said spring and thereby move the movable jaw toward the opposed jaw and to compress said spring and thereby retract said movable jaw, respectively, a shaft having a part thereon to act successively on said member to move it alternately in said opposite directions, and means for holding said member in a balanced condition and said spring free of tension while said member is not acted on by said part on said shaft.

13. In a line composing and type casting machine, an assembling elevator having opposed walls forming a channel to receive a matrix line for longitudinal movement therein, a bar having means for pressing it inwardly from one of said walls and against matrices in said channel, and a strip of relatively yielding friction material projecting into said channel from the other wall to engage matrices in said channel.

14. In a slug casting machine of the linotype class equipped with a first elevator and line justifying devices, the combination of a pair of line clamping jaws, a periodically operated device distinct from the first elevator and the line justifying devices, and direct actuating connections between said device and the respective jaws.

15. A combination according to claim 14,

wherein the periodically operated device constitutes a jaw moving device controlled directly from the main drive shaft of the machine.

16. A combination according to claim 14, including a rotary drive shaft adapted to make one complete revolution at each cycle in the operation of the machine, wherein the periodically operated device constitutes a jaw moving device having means actuated directly from rotation of said shaft to cause the jaws to move in opposite directions toward and from one another before and after casting.

17. In a slug casting machine having a pair of opposed vise jaws movable in opposite directions with respect to one another in locating matrix lines of diilerent lengths before a slug casting mold, a jaw moving device operative to control essentially the movement of the jaws, and means for rendering said jaw moving device operable selectively on one or on both of said jaws both to close and open the jaw or jaws respectively before and after casting.

18. In a slug casting machine having a pair of opposed vise jaws movable in opposite directions with respect to one anotherto close upon and confine matrix lines of different lengths before a slug casting mold, a jaw moving device operative to control essentially the movement of the jaws, a rotary drive shaft havingmeans for operating said jaw moving device directly therefrom in opposite directions, and direct connections between said device and the jaws for selectively moving one or both of said jaws to close and open respectively the jaws before and after casting.

19. In a slug casting machine having a pair of opposed vise jaws movable in opposite directions with respect to one another to close against and locate matrix lines of different lengths before a slug casting mold, a jaw moving device for effecting such movement of the jaws, and justifying means for expanding spacebands in the lines, the combination of a rotary drive shaft, means independent of the justifying means and actuated by rotation of said shaft for operating the jaw moving device in opposite directions to respectively close and open the jaws before and after casting, and means for selectively rendering one or both jaws responsive to the operation of the jaw moving device.

20. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein means is provided for selectively rendering the connections to one or both jaws responsive to the movements of the jaw moving device as desired, which means is operative to break the connection of one jaw with said device while maintaining the connection between said device and the other jaw.

21. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein the connections between the jaw moving device and the respective jaws are adapted to move the jaws equidistantly when both are rendered responsive to the movements of the jaw moving device.

22. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein one of the jaws is adjustable relatively to thejaw moving device so that it may be set at different distances from the other jaw before both jaws are moved in response to the movements of the jaw moving device.

23. In a, slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein means is provided for disconnecting one of the jaws from the jaw moving device so that it may be set at different distances from the other jaw, and said means is operative to render both jaws responsive to the movements of the jaw moving device.

24. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein one of the jaws is adjustable relatively to the connection between the jaw moving device and the other jaw so that it may be set at different distances from said other jaw before both jaws are connected to the jaw moving device.

25. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein one of the jaws is adjustable relatively to its connections with the jaw moving device so that it may. be set at different distances from the other jaw before both jaws are moved by the jaw moving device and the means for selectively rendering one or both jaws responsive to the movements of said device comprises a manually operated element for coupling the adjustable jaw to the jaw moving device at different set positions of said jaw.

26. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein one of the jaws is adjustable relatively to the jaw moving device so that it may be set at different distances from the other jaw and means comprising a manually operated element is provided for coupling the adjustable jaw to the jaw moving device and the other jaw at different set positions of said adjustable jaw.

27. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein one of the jaws is adjustable relatively to its connections with the jaw moving device so that it may be set at different distances from the other jaw and means comprising a manually operated element is provided for simultaneously connecting the adjustable jaw to the jaw moving device and rendering both jaws responsive to the movements of said device.

28. In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein operation of the jaw moving device is so controlled as to leave the matrix line between the jaws'free from closing pressure of said device acting on the jaws in opposition to the line expanding influence of spacebands in the line under the action of the justifying means.

29. In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein operation of the jaw moving device is so controlled as to relieve the matrix line from closing action of the jaws during thespaceband expanding operation of the justifying means.

30 In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein operation of the jaw moving device is temporarily interrupted after moving the jaw or jaws into contact with the line so as to relieve the jaw or jaws from closing action of said device during the expansion of spacebands in the line.

31. In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein operation of the jaw moving device is so controlled as to leave the matrix line free from pressure acting on the jaws in opposition to the spaceband expanding operation of the justifying means and wherein means is provided for applying an inwardly acting pressure on the jaw or jaws and thereby restrict their outward movements under the line expanding influence of spacebands during operation of the justifying means.

32. In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein the jaw moving device is inactive on the jaw or jaws during the spaceband expanding operation of the justifying means and wherein means is provided to act inwardly on the jaw or jaws to oppose their outward movement during the line expanding action of spacebands at a predetermined point in the spaceband expanding operation of the justifying means.

is provided to act inwardly on the jaw or jaws in opposition to the spaceband expanding influence of said justifying means on the line after a predetermined interval in the interruption of the jaw moving device.

34. In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein the means for operating the jaw moving device is operative to interrupt closing action of said device on the jaw or jaws after moving the latter into contact with the line, and wherein means actuated by the justifying means at a predetermined point in its spaceband expanding operation is operative to act inwardly on the jaw or jaws while closing action of the jaw moving device is interrupted.

35. In a slug casting machine according to claim 19, the arrangement wherein the means for operating the jaw moving device is operative to interrupt the action of said device on the jaw or jaws for a predetermined interval during the rotation of the rotary drive shaft after said device has been actuated by said shaft to effect closing movement of the jaw or jaws.

36. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein the means for operating the jaw moving device is operative to interrupt the action of said device on the jaw or jaws after moving the jaw or jaws into contact with the line and means is provided to apply inwardly acting force on lines of difierent lengths to clamp such lines between the jaws while casting, said latter means comprising a yieldingly actuated member arranged to yield a constant predetermined amount before it acts on the line, whereby equal clamping pressure is applied on any length of line.

37. In a slug casting machine according to claim 18, the arrangement wherein the means for operating the jaw moving device to close the jaws is inactive on said device after the jaw or jaws have been moved into contact with matrix lines of different lengths and means is provided to apply an inwardly acting force on the jaw or jaws while the jaw moving device is inactive, said means comprising a member arranged to act on the jaw or jaws with the same force at their different closed positions.

38. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of line confining jaws, at least one of which is movable from full line receiving position toward the other jaw to close against a line and is movable outwardly from its closed position, means for efiecting movement of the movable jaw, locking means for holding the movable jaw in closed position, justifying means for expanding spacebands in the line, and means cooperative with said locking means for permitting outward movement of the movable jaw to full line receiving position, when said jaw is moved closed through a predetermined distance within the range of the expansive limit of spacebands in the line.

39. In a slug casting machine according to claim 38, the arrangement wherein the means for effecting closing movement of the movable jaw is operative to arrest closing action of said jaw against the line while moving outwardly from closed position to full line receiving position when the line is expanded by spacebands.

40. In a slug casting machine according to claim 38, the arrangement wherein controlling means is provided for interrupting the closing action of the movable jaw against the line while moving outwardly from closed position to full line receiving position when the line is expanded by spacebands, and one or both jaws are movable to close against composed matrix lines of different lengths with or without expansible spacebands and the locking means is operative to prevent outward movement of the jaw or jaws when spacebands are not present in the line, and means cooperative with said locking means is provided for automatically permitting outward movement of the jaw or jaws under the expanding influence of spacebands when such are present in the line.

41. In a slug casting machine having a rotary drive shaft, the combination of a pair of line confining jaws movable toward and from one another, a device controlled directly from the rotary drive shaft of the machine for eflecting closing and opening movements of the jaws, direct actuating connections between said device and the jaws for selectively moving one or both jaws, and meansfor rendering said device inoperative on the jaws.

42. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws,-one or both of which are movable from full line receiving position to close against and confine matrix lines of different lengths and are movable outwardly from their closed position, and line justifying means, the combination of means for effecting closing movement of the jaw or jaws, means for retaining the jaw or jaws in closed position when said jaw or jaws are moved through a predetermined distance, and means cooperative with said retaining means for permitting the jaw or jaws to move outwardly from closed position to full line receiving position when said jaw or jaws are moved closed through a distance less than said predetermined distance.

43. In a slug casting machine, the combination of a pair of line confining jaws at least one of which is movable from full matrix line receiving position toward the other jaw to close against matrix lines with or without expansible spacebands and is movable outwardly from its closed position, a locking device for holding the movable jaw in closed position and arranged to move in the direction of closing movement of said jaw, justifying means for expanding spacebands when such are present in the line, means cooperative with the locking device for permitting outward movement of the movable jaw to full line receiving position under the expandinginfiuence of spacebands -and means actuated by the justifying means for moving said locking device to clamp and lock the movable jaw against a matrix line without spacebands.

SAMUEL E. SPERRY. 

